


Beautiful Sunsets Need Cloudy Skyes

by YulianaHenderson



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Foster Care, Kid Skye | Daisy Johnson, mama may, papa phil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-25
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2019-12-07 16:47:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18237590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YulianaHenderson/pseuds/YulianaHenderson
Summary: Nine year old Mary Sue Poots didn't need a family.No. That wasn't really true.Mary Sue Poots needed a family. Skye, however, didn't. She was strong and independent and had been through so many families that she knew the whole concept wasn't really it for her.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Alrighty! Another new story! I have been writing like mad, let me tell you, and I have this current story basically finished and another massive story I'm still working on so you'll be seeing me a lot in the future, hope you don't mind!   
> Also, I know a lot of people have already touched upon this cheesy storyline but I really wanted to try and give it a personal twist. I'll let you be the judge of whether or not I managed that.

Nine year old Mary Sue Poots didn't need a family. 

No. That wasn't really true. 

Mary Sue Poots needed a family.  _ Skye _ , however, didn't. She was strong and independent and had been through so many families that she knew the whole concept wasn't really it for her. She didn't need an overly emotional mother who couldn't divide her attention equally or a frustrated father who lashed out to his children. (Well, usually not  _ his _ children, mostly just Skye.)

No. She could do well on her own, thank you very much. She would just stay at this orphanage until she was old enough to buy her own place and then she could do whatever she wanted and eat fries and pizza every day.

But alas, the moment came that she was brisked away from the orphanage once more. She already knew it wouldn't be permanent so she left some things behind, not wanting to bring much with her, not knowing where she would end up this time. She didn't trust the kids here but she knew she trusted them more than her new foster family, and she hadn't even met them.

She had only just come out of prison and had barely had time to get settled in. Well. She said prison. She knew it was a mental institution. She showed what the doctors found to be ‘problematic aggressive behavior’, but she merely saw it as a way of defending herself. Anyway, the doors had been locked, and there had been barbed wire on top of the fences. So, prison.

Her new foster family was nice, but that didn't mean anything anymore. Lots of foster parents had been nice in the beginning, until they realized how difficult she was and how much they did not want to have her as a daughter. 

The man was slightly balding, clear blue eyes looking at her expectantly. He really seemed quite nice. She wondered how long it would take before he started to hit or sneak into her bedroom at night. 

The woman was different to all the other foster parents that had walked in, even those who had come and picked up Skye's fellow orphans. All the other women had stood there with red cheeks and tears running down their cheeks, blessed and happy to be accepting a cute little miracle into their lives. This woman didn't look disinterested, but she did have a very good poker face. She just stared at Skye. She looked sort of strict. It was a new kind of foster mother for Skye. She wondered how long it would take until this woman had enough of her and returned her. (They always kept the receipts. Skye had never stayed longer than three weeks, which according to her only friend Stacey was the common limit of returning unwanted items to the store.)

“You must be Mary Sue.”

Skye shook her head. 

“Skye.”

“Skye? That's even better. I'm Phil,” the man had said. He had reached out and shaken Skye's hand. Okay, his hand was clean, not even a little dirt underneath the fingernails, and his grip was firm yet he gave her the chance to pull back if she wanted. (She did.) “This is Melinda.”

The woman simply reached out her hand and shook it, still no single emotion shown on her face.

Phil and Melinda. Well, Skye wished them the best of luck. She had long ago stopped trying.

 

~...~

 

The man and woman were married and it was clear to Skye pretty quickly that they loved each other, probably hadn't been married for long but knew each other for quite a while. They seemed comfortable around each other. 

Skye just stared out of the car window. No point in getting to know her new ‘home’. She would get attached and it would only make it harder for her to leave again. Which ultimately, she always did. Foster parents liked to have a perfect child but Skye wasn't that. Far from it, even. She knew she was difficult, Sister Janice had told her once that Skye must be suffering from ‘a ton of mental health issues', whatever that meant. But what use was it to pretend to be a happy little child while she was anything but? 

She had pretended once, when she had been young. The nuns at the orphanage had told her that if she could just be nice, the foster parents would be, too, and she might be able to stay. In hindsight, she realized they must have wanted to get rid of her. 

“Are you excited, Skye?” the man asked. 

What was there to be excited about? Another set of parents who would use her as an outlet for their anger and yet another bedroom to share. 

When she didn't answer, he focused on driving again. Skye, sitting in the back in the seat behind the man, saw the woman reached out to put her hand on his forearm, a faint, reassuring smile on her lips. Hmm. So there was a bit of emotion inside her. 

Yeah, she was difficult. If they wanted happy lovey-dovey, they should have gone for Jane Martin, the girl who Skye shared a bunk bed with. Blonde hair, blue eyes, perfectly cute, and able to play the piano. She was about to say that they could turn back to the orphanage and swap before she would disappoint them, when the man pulled over and they came to a stop.

Skye wouldn't look. Probably some average middle class house just like last time.

The door opened and it startled her a little. She had been leaning against it and almost fell onto the pavement. 

“Oops, careful!” the man said with a smile and offered her his hand. She refused. He offered to hold her backpack. She refused again. How dare he want to touch what little she had left? Sure, most of the clothes were either too big or too small, the socks had holes in them, but it was about the only things that were hers and hers alone. 

The man seemed to understand her hints and lead the way to the home, the woman close behind them.

Just as she'd thought, just some regular, basic home, nothing special. Two stories, and she looked up at the top story waiting to see curious little heads looking down at the spectacle. At her, the ‘bonus’ child.

But it was quiet when they entered the house. There were no other voices except for the man and the woman talking to each other. Skye didn't even see any traces of children, no toys littering the ground, or school photos on the walls. 

She looked at the man and woman. Okay, that was new. She had always been in a family with like a thousand children, and she had always needed to share everything. Some of the kids had been nice, like Szabi three families back, who had sneaked her some food when she had been locked into a room by the parents for daring to play with the other kids’ toys, or Rowanna in one of Skye's first families who had given her one of her good shirts which she would have worn today but had definitely outgrown.

“You want to see your room, Skye?” the man asked. Skye shrugged and followed him up the stairs. On the door at the end of the hallway was a simple flower, drawn on, almost as big as her head. She kind of liked this.

The man pushed open the door and she peered inside. No. Take it easy, Skye. This will only be temporary. Don't get attached to any of it.

But the room was really nice. Neutral, no blue or pink, which she was thankful for. Although slightly impersonal, the room was clean and tidy and had just about the right amount of accessories. On the wall above the bed was that same flower from the door only bigger, with a few trees and a little house around it. It looked like this house.

“Do you like it?”

Against the wall, a closet stood, probably four times her size. She didn't even have enough clothes to fill it with. Hmm. It would be a good hiding place.

She put her backpack on the bed and sat down beside it, looking at the rest of the room. 

“Is there a lock on the door?” she asked. It had been a normal question, at least for Skye, but if their reaction was anything to go by, she had just asked them the directions to Hogwarts. 

“A lock?”

Skye nodded and looked at the door. Average. Could be space for a lock. But then again she was only staying three weeks so they were probably not going to install one. 

“We'll find a safer way,” the man said.

Skye knew their names, but didn't want to say or use them. She hardly even remembered what her previous foster family's last name had been, she hadn't had time to register it. 

“So Melinda and I were thinking of going out for dinner tonight, just the three of us. To celebrate that you're here. And to get to know each other a little better.”

“Celebrate?”

He nodded. The woman’s hand linked with his. 

“We've been waiting a long time for you.”

“I don't think so. I'm difficult and uncomsiderate.”

“So am I,” the woman deadpanned. The man chuckled and as Skye looked at the two, she couldn't help but smile a little. The man took that as an invitation but Skye shied away from him. Best let the touching wait for a moment. 

“You don't like touching much, do you?”

“Well, duh.”

“What, duh?” the man asked, but the woman's face changed slightly. Somehow, Skye had the feeling she had understood without needing words. He caught on eventually. “Oh. I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about me, but still, I'm sorry.”

That was also odd. Nobody had ever apologized to her for something so stupid. And it really felt like he meant it.

“But we have been waiting for you for a long time. Maybe not you, specifically, but a child. Not just any child, though, but-” The woman thankfully silenced him by nudging his side, while she looked at Skye with a slight smile on her lips. Skye hadn't seen her smile much since they had met. It looked good on her. And it was obvious that he was the only one who could draw that out.

“So, dinner?”

Skye's attention was drawn back to their previous topic. Honestly, she wasn't quite used to be in the center of attention, at least not in a positive way. She hadn't really gone  _ out _ for dinner with families before.

“Where will we go?”

“Wherever you want to go. It's your day.”

_ Her day _ ? What was wrong with these people? It wasn't like she was staying or something. They were acting like they were adopting her, making her feel this good.

It really would only make things more difficult when she had to leave. She was obviously their first foster child, they had no idea how to go about these things. So she fought her smile and nodded solemnly, hoping they wouldn't give her as much attention. 


	2. Chapter 2

She tried to be difficult, she really did. She threw a tantrum when they went to the car to go for dinner, and it was about nothing significant. She was stomping her feet and faking tears and the woman just grabbed her hand, sat her on the bottom step of the stairs and patiently explained to her why she was on time-out and they would only leave when she had apologized afterwards.

Skye had never been disciplined like this. Not with patience and love, because even though the woman had been strict, it was obvious she didn't hate Skye. Most of the other foster parents would have hit her by now.

She remembered her prison from just a week ago. She had yelled angrily and they had drugged her up and locked her away. Or they would hit her into listening to them. So when she saw the woman’s calm face in front of her, her hold on her hand had been firm but she hadn’t meant to hurt Skye at all, Skye felt… odd. She had to force herself to be nasty.

She was genuinely angry for half of her time-out, she had only been throwing a tantrum to see what they would do if she did and now she was on these stupid stairs for nine minutes while the man and woman stood waiting outside. She couldn't see anything from here, just a small portrait on the wall facing her, of the man and woman, his arm around the woman and her eyes looking up at him, lovingly. Skye stood to take a good look at it and heard a door open from the side.

“Skye,” the woman said firmly. How had she known that? Was she a ninja or something? Skye sighed and sat down on the stairs again. Dammit. She sighed and leaned back and waited out her time.

The woman reappeared and knelt down in front of Skye. Her eyes were strict but kind. Skye didn't feel scared that she would be hit - well, only slightly.

“You were on time-out for throwing a tantrum.”

Skye lowered her head and shrugged.

“The next time you misbehave, you'll go in time-out again. Nine minutes, one for each year.”

“But-”

The woman held up her hand and Skye swallowed her words instantly.

“I'm sorry,” Skye murmured.

“What was that?”

“I'm sorry,” Skye said, a little louder.

“Sorry for what?”

“For having a temper tantrum.”

“Alright.” The woman nodded curtly, smiled and stood, offering Skye her hand and Skye took it, although hesitantly.

She could be difficult but they wouldn't change their opinion about her. This foster family was nicer than any she had ever stayed in and they were genuinely interested in her, without asking any painful questions they got most of her personality out of her.

She was just telling them about Stacey, burger juices running down her chin and ketchup on her fingers, when the woman reached out with a napkin to clean her up. Skye stopped talking immediately and looked at the woman's hand.

“Can I clean you up, Skye? I promise I won't hurt you.”

Skye thought about this for a moment, looked into the woman’s dark brown eyes, but eventually nodded. Anyway, if Skye were to do it herself, she would only make things worse.

It was kind of nice, being touched without it hurting, without bruises and tears, and Skye focused on the woman's face while she cleaned her up. When she was already done, the woman reached out and tucked a strand of Skye's hair behind her ear.

“There. All better.”

The rest of the evening, Skye looked at the woman's hands and realized how soft they were, despite how obviously the woman had hurt herself in whatever way.

They walked back to the house and the man offered Skye his hand again. She took it, wondering whether his were as soft as the woman's. It was a little rougher, big, but still gentle. She looked at him, then at the woman, and realized, she might enjoy these three weeks with them.

 

~...~

 

They tucked her into bed that night and it was more than anyone had ever done for her. The best treatment she'd had was a foster mother throwing a new set of pajamas at her face.

“Thank you for the food,” Skye said, the man sitting on the edge of the bed and the woman in the chair facing the bed. Skye had changed into her pajamas while they had been downstairs talking. Skye had accidentally overheard some of their conversation.

“She seems so… distant,” the woman had said, her voice full with an emotion Skye hadn't seen in her all day.

“She's been through a lot. She just needs time.” They were quiet for a while until Skye had heard the woman giggling, and the man continuing.

“She'll have your love, Melinda. That will do any person good.”

Now the giggling made sense. He had probably kissed her or something.

“I think that she thinks that she's leaving soon.”

“Then we'll try our best to convince her otherwise.”

Skye had closed the bathroom door and had brushed her teeth instead. It was rude to eavesdrop.

In the present, both her foster parents were looking at her.

“Okay, you can leave now,” Skye said. They frowned slightly but didn't let her tone get to them.

“Alright. Sleep tight, Skye.”

Skye nodded almost formally. Let's just get this over with, they could leave and she could pretend this never happened.

But her sleep was filled with pleasant images of the day, and even after only twelve hours did her resolve fall and did she start to regard them as Phil and Melinda.

They were really nice. This would be her best placement so far.

 

~...~

 

The days, weeks progressed, and Skye had only let her resolve slip once. She might regard her foster parents with their first name now, she still kept them at a distance. It wasn't even all conscious, even at her age she realized that it was a defense mechanism, but it had worked so far and she wouldn't stop now.

Skye had found out that Phil was a high school teacher and Melinda was a martial arts and self-defense instructor at the local gym. They had explained that they had met when one of Phil's mentor classes had had an excursion to said gym and she had tried to teach him some moves but she had kicked his ass instead. Melinda was home often because the classes she taught were only in certain timeframes, and while Skye was at school most days, it still felt sort of nice to not have to walk to the house and to be picked up by Melinda.

Skye had always looked at other parents picking up their offspring - some children would jump into their arms, others would kiss their mother, finishing with walking away talking happily. Melinda was happy to see Skye but she showed it in her own way. The fact that Melinda was even looking at her, smiling faintly, was enough proof to Skye. It made her breathing hitch and she always pushed it to the background. Don’t get attached, Skye. Whatever you do, just don’t get attached.

Phil had painted Skye's name on the door to her room, right in the middle of the flower. He had smiled at her and had called her ‘their little flower’. Distance or not, that did bring some butterflies to her stomach. Shame they had to repaint this all when she left.

Phil hadn't ever snuck into her room at night which was quite a surprise. They had questioned her why she felt she needed a lock and had looked angry when she had answered. Melinda had assured her they weren't angry at her but it was difficult to believe.

She was starting to get used to their touching, and even allowed for some hugging.

She was in time-out again for having yelled at Melinda for whatever reason, she hardly remembered, and Skye cried in anger, at herself mostly because she didn't mean to be difficult but she just was.

Melinda had knelt down in front of her after nine minutes and Skye skipped Melinda's explanation and instantly apologized. Melinda didn't seem as angry as Skye had expected, and realized that every time she had been difficult, Phil and Melinda had been nothing but calm and patient with her, strict too, but they had never yelled at her or grabbed her arm roughly or talked to her like she was a baby.

Melinda was so patient and kind. You might not think that when you first looked at her, sometimes she represented more like a robot, but apparently, with people she knew, she could be so kind. Skye really liked that about Melinda.

“Part of time-out,” Melinda started explaining, “is making up afterwards. We didn't do that last time because I didn't know if you would be open to that. But after time-out, we can hug, if you want.”

Skye didn't hesitate. She wrapped her arms tightly around Melinda and the woman sighed, satisfied, before hugging her back.

“I'm sorry about yelling at you.”

“I know. I understand it might be weird to live here with us. But you must know that we will never hurt you. We discipline because we care about you.”

“You do?”

“Of course.” Melinda smiled and booped Skye's nose. For a moment, Skye felt like a little girl again. It felt nice. “Hey, you silly. Shall we watch something together on the couch?”

Skye smiled and nodded and grabbed Melinda's hand.

And then, she found herself cuddled up to Melinda while they were watching some grown-up TV show, and Skye kept looking at Melinda's hands. They felt so good, they were made for hugs and brushing cheeks and tucking in. When Phil sat down on the other side, nudging Skye's side making her laugh, she realized that the child who would be their forever child would be very lucky.

“You _do_ like hugs,” Phil said, smiling faintly. Skye crossed her arms and pretended that he was wrong. He wasn't.

“Only with you.”

Phil smiled and Melinda kissed Skye's cheek.

“We're very honored.”

Skye smiled and cuddled into Phil's side, something she hadn't done a lot, only with Melinda. He was just as warm as Melinda, although bigger of course, his hold was firmer but she loved his arms just as much as Melinda's.

Phil kissed Melinda above Skye’s head. It almost felt like her heart was warming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

At the three week mark, Skye had already started packing her things. Melinda had walked in, confused.

“What are you doing?”

“I'm packing. It's been real, but I gotta go.”

“What do you mean, you gotta go?”

“It's been three weeks. My time is up.”

Melinda had trouble understanding what Skye was saying but Skye didn't care. She wasn't going to explain something so obviously obvious to an  _ adult _ . If they couldn't figure it out by themselves, then so be it.

“Skye, you don't have to leave.”

“I do, though.”

Melinda was quiet and watched Skye pack. Not that there was a lot to pack. She couldn't pack the new clothes Phil and Melinda had bought her, they were theirs, so it were just the few things she had come with. 

“Do you want to leave?”

Not really. But she didn't have a choice.

Skye shrugged and picked up her bag, swung it over her shoulders and walked past Melinda.

“Okay. If you want to leave, I'll bring you to the orphanage.”

Skye found that a little painful, the fact that they had had such a good time with the three of them and they were still letting her go. But she shouldn't be surprised. They obviously wouldn't fight for her. Nobody ever had.

Skye nodded and together they walked to the car. Melinda hadn't even gotten her coat or something. It was quite cold. Skye wanted to offer Melinda her own coat but then realized the blankets she had to sleep under in the orphanage and realized she needed all the warmth she could get.

“Well, bye then,” Melinda said casually as Skye exited the car and walked up to the orphanage. She looked over her shoulder and saw Melinda remaining in the car, simply waving at her. 

The heavy doors opened and Sister Ruth came out quite distressed.

“Mary? What are you doing here?”

“My time is up.”

“Your time is… you silly child! You don't have a time limit with your foster parents. You just keep messing it up yourself so they want to send you away!”

Skye looked at her, then over her shoulder to see Melinda  _ still _ sat in the car. Skye waved her off, again. She could leave now.

Skye walked past Sister Ruth towards her bed and installed herself there for as much as possible. Every adult she saw seemed surprised that she was here. That surprised Skye. She had always been trouble and had never stayed long, surely they must know by now?

The afternoon passed by quickly and dinner was uneventful and then Skye was laying in her own bed again before bedtime because she was tired. Her familiar bed, she should say, because technically this wasn't  _ her _ bed.

She pulled the covers up to her ears and closed her eyes.

And suddenly realized that she hadn't been tucked in yet. She was already climbing out of the bed to fetch Phil and Melinda when she realized where she was. 

Oh well. She just had to get over herself. She had survived long enough without any tucking in. Three weeks wouldn't change her entire life like that.

But the longer she tried to fall asleep, the more frustrated she became and the more she realized that she really did miss being tucked into bed and have some kisses land on her forehead and even have a story told to fill her dreams with many great adventures.

Stacey walked into the room and also frowned at Skye.

“Skye? What are you doing here?”

“The usual.”

“They sent you away?”

“No. I left.”

“You  _ left _ ?  _ Why?! _ ”

Skye shrugged and rolled away from Stacey.

“Were they so bad?”

“No, they were nice.”

“Were their children mean?”

“They didn't have any children.”

“Then why did you leave?”

Skye turned back and looked at her good friend.

Then it sank in. Why had she left? Phil and Melinda were super nice and they treated her well. She hadn't had that, ever. And according to Sister Ruth, there was no time limit on foster parents.

She wanted to go back. Now. She wanted the smiles and the hugs and Phil making Melinda laugh and Melinda picking Skye up from school. How had she left all that behind?

But she didn't know their last name and she hadn't paid attention to the drives to and from the orphanage, so she couldn't walk there. Skye felt her heart sink. She had finally had a good placement and she had messed it all up, like usual.

Stacey sighed and looked out of the window.

“Hey. I wonder what that car is doing there?”

Skye shot up and looked outside too.

It was Melinda's car.

Yes! Yes yes yes!

She kissed Stacey's cheek and barely even bothered grabbing her bag - she ran out of the room and towards the entrance hall.

The nuns hardly gave her a greeting but that was alright. Melinda was sitting there reading a magazine - had she even left? - and looked up when she heard Skye. 

“Melinda!” Skye exclaimed and rushed towards her, throwing herself into her arms completely surprising both herself and Melinda. Melinda still wrapped her arms around Skye. “What are you still doing here?”

“Well, I'm supposed to take care of you, right? How else would you come home?” She said it so casually but it still sounded really nice.

Home.  _ Home _ . Skye smiled against Melinda's chest and the woman stood and lifted her into the air, still holding her. 

They were going  _ home _ . She had never had a home.

Phil was waiting for them with dinner prepared (she didn't realize how hungry she actually was, she hadn't taken a single bite at the orphanage) and Skye dove into his arms, too. He chuckled as he kissed her cheek.

“You silly girl. Welcome back.”

Skye looked in amusement at Phil who kissed Melinda, both relieved about something. Melinda turned back to Skye and reached for her bag. Melinda put it on the kitchen counter and ushered Skye to take a seat at the dinner table.

“Do I have to go in time-out again?”

Melinda seemed genuinely surprised. “What? Time-out? Why?”

“Because I ran away.”

“Skye. I drove you there. You couldn't have run.”

Phil smiled at Melinda's silliness. Skye had to admit, hearing it from Melinda's mouth made it sound very silly. Of course Skye hadn't run away. But she had returned to the orphanage, knowing, no, thinking that her time had been up. She had never stayed for longer than three weeks. It seemed almost natural to leave after that time. She hadn't wanted to leave. 

“I don't want to leave yet,” Skye said seriously, taking her place at the dinner table. Both Phil and Melinda smiled at her and went about their routine until they sat down, too. 

“You don't have to.”

And they ate dinner together and cuddled on the couch and they tucked her in and both kissed her cheek. She felt so warm and safe and hadn't thought she would feel that way this morning.

“Sweet dreams, Skye,” Phil whispered. 

“Thank you,” Skye whispered. Phil smiled but frowned all the same. 

“What are you thankful for?”

“You. And Melinda.”

Phil and Melinda smiled at that, before she left the room and he followed her, flicking off the light and rounding the corner with only his head still visible. 

“See you tomorrow, baby girl.”

Skye thought she hadn't heard correctly, but realized she was so tired now that she wouldn't give it much thought. She closed her eyes and was out like a light. 

 

~...~

 

She woke up feeling slightly disoriented but her eyes landed on the big flower on the wall and she smiled.

She was still here. It had been three weeks and she could still live with Phil and Melinda. 

Speaking of which, where were they? It was Sunday after all and in the past three weeks she had woken up to delicious smells of eggs and bacon on Sunday morning. 

She tiptoed to Phil and Melinda's room and opened the door quietly. (She knew she wasn't supposed to open bedroom doors before knocking but she didn't want to wake them.) They were still asleep, Melinda's head on Phil's chest and their arms tightly around each other. 

Skye smiled and closed the door again. She would treat them to breakfast this time. They had decided to keep her a little longer and this was the least she could do to repay them. 

Although she didn't really know how to make breakfast.

Not to worry. She climbed onto the counter and set out in search for eggs. Eggs, eggs, eggs… she opened a cabinet and smiled when she saw them, almost screaming at her. She grabbed three, put them on the counter beside her feet and moved to climb down.

But then she lost grip and felt the surface slip out from underneath her. She fell backwards with her head against the table and blacked out. 

She came to with Phil and Melinda's worried faces above her. Skye felt strong arms supporting her and saw they belonged to Phil.

Her head hurt. She saw stars and when she moved to sit up, she nearly threw up. Okay. What had happened?

“Breakfast,” Skye muttered, getting up again. Phil stopped her. Melinda looked at the counter and saw the eggs, one of which had fallen onto the floor. “Egg…”

Phil stood with Skye in his arms and looked at Melinda. “I'll put her to bed. You call the doctor just to be sure.”

Skye struggled a little. No, she needed to make them breakfast! She had woken them up with her stupid clumsiness! Stupid, stupid Skye! Now surely they would return her. She only caused trouble.

Nevertheless, she let Phil carry her to bed and felt him try to tuck her in. She was kind of fading in and out of sleep and was pushing away his hands whenever they tried to make her lie down.

“Are you okay, Skye?” Phil asked her. Skye shrugged. “Do you remember where you are?”

“With you.” Skye saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes. 

“Wrong question. Which state? City?”

“Manitowoc, Wisconsin.”

“What day is it today?”

“Sunday.”

“What is my name?”

Skye frowned. “Phil.”

He made her lie down a final time and she felt her building headache lessen only slightly when she touched her pillow. He brushed her hair out of her face. 

“You really scared us there.” He meant it.

“I'm sorry,” she responded solemnly. “You were still asleep and I wanted to make  _ you _ breakfast.”

He pressed his lips together. That was never a good sign. No foster parent had ever been nice after that expression.

“Next time, you can wake me up. I want you to be safe.” They were quiet for a while and Skye looked at Phil. “I'm glad you're okay, Skye.”

“Hmm-mm.”

He brushed her hair again and for a moment time stood still. Skye looked at him, his honest blue eyes almost crying with  _ something _ , and she realized he really did care about her, and perhaps he had thought she might die or be severely injured and she saw the relief on his face.

Nobody had ever cared about her like this. Nobody had ever been worried about her. 

“Phil?”

“Hmm?”

“I'm okay.”

He chuckled and a tear escaped his eye. It did something to her heart to think that he was sitting here crying about her, her safety.

Melinda rushed into the room fully dressed now. Her face was one of worry and anxiety. Melinda hadn't shown a lot of emotions and suddenly she was here all worried about Skye?

“We should probably go to the emergency room just to rule out anything bad.”

“I'm fine, though,” Skye argued. Melinda nor Phil accepted her struggling. Melinda grabbed some clothes for Skye while Phil left and returned, dressed, with a bucket. 

“We'll just have you checked up,” Melinda whispered when she helped Skye into her clothes. Skye made her stop and looked into her eyes. 

“Melinda, I'm oka-” she was interrupted by herself throwing up in the bucket Phil had brought, apparently especially for this reason. 

Man. Suddenly, the room was spinning and her brain threatened to burst out of her head and she slumped against Phil, who had sat down behind her. How could she feel so horrible so suddenly? She wanted to struggle, no, she was okay, she didn't need to go to the hospital (it would be stupid to spend so much money on her), but the longer she was in Phil's arms, and the more her head hurt, she realized that she might need some help, after all.

She stayed in his arms on the backseat of the car while Melinda drove. She checked them in at the front desk. 

“Last name?”

“Coulson.”

The woman typed it into the computer and Skye realized she had never heard their last name before, had only known them as Phil and Melinda. Her heart hurt - she was getting to know much more than she wanted and she knew all this would just be temporary. She might have passed three weeks but they wouldn't keep her. Perhaps when she was cleared from the hospital they would drive straight past the orphanage and return her.

“There is no child registered under this name.”

“She's our foster child.”

The woman nodded in understanding. Skye buried her face closer into Phil's shoulder, the light was starting to hurt and her head was still throbbing. She closed her eyes and felt Phil squeezing her side.

“Don't fall asleep, Skye,” he whispered. “Not until the doctor has checked you.”

She didn't understand why but kept her eyes opened. 

The doctor was nice enough. She seemed interested in Skye's wellbeing, as doctors should be. She was okay with Skye staying in Phil's arms the entire time, and strangely, his calm heartbeat calmed her down, too. 

That was, until she had to have a scan and another doctor was preparing her with supposedly reassuring words.

“We'll just have a quick look at your brain, make sure nothing is damaged.”

“I'm fine,” Skye muttered, even though a part of her knew she wasn't. She entered a room, head still painful, and saw a massive machine awaiting her. She turned around immediately, nope, she was  _ not _ going inside that machine, but was stopped by a hand on her chest. She looked up and saw an unfamiliar nurse look at her with kind eyes, and the doctor from before was stood in the doorway.

Wait, where were Phil and Melinda? Had they ditched her at last? She wasn't surprised, but if they weren't here, there was no way she would go in that machine. So she guessed she just had to learn to live with his headache. 

“You'll have to be very brave, Skye,” the nurse said. He didn't understand. She  _ was _ brave, but she would  _ not _ go in that machine.

“Phil? Phil?!”

The nurse kept pushing her to the machine but she fought back. She didn't want Phil or Melinda to have dumped her. She wanted them to be here! How stupid was that?

“Melinda!”

The doctor stepped to the side and Phil entered the room. Skye had never been so happy to see someone ever, and she ran over to him and jumped into his arms - her head protesting while doing so. 

He was here. Thank God. They hadn't ditched her.

“Hey, I was just taking a pee,” he whispered, apparently seeing how upset she had been. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. She wouldn't let him go again.

“Well, don't,” she muttered. He chuckled faintly and moved towards the machine. “I don't want to go into the machine, Phil.”

“I know. But you have to. We have to make sure there's nothing wrong with you.”

“I'm never making breakfast again.”

He chuckled again, this time louder, and she even felt his lips on her cheek. 

“I'm staying with you the entire time, I promise.”

A promise. He had promised he would stay with her. She closed her eyes and smiled and all was well for a moment - but her head still hurt and she knew they had to check her up. 

It was a very terrifying experience. The machine made a lot of noise and she knew this wasn't how pictures were usually taken. But Phil's hand held hers, and it felt so good, she was terrified but he was here. She had to stay still but he was telling jokes and it was hard to stay still.

“Knock knock,” he started. She was already smiling.

“Who's there?”

“Cows go.”

“Cows go who?”

“No, cows go moo!”

She chuckled and his hand on hers tightened. The doctor told them off and even came in to add more measures to keep her head still, but Skye had seen the woman's smile and was proud that Phil was  _ her _ foster dad.

“Sister Janice will be so mad at me,” Skye said eventually. She had been in the machine for ten minutes now and was starting to get used to the sounds. 

“Why?”

“I always mess up placements and the nuns really don't like me and I think they hate it every time I come back.”

“But you didn't mess up this placement.”

“Of course I did. We're in the hospital.”

He squeezed her hand. He said, quietly, “it could be worse.”

Skye didn't understand what Phil was trying to say. He remained silent for a long time, while the machine was whirring around her head. She wondered briefly whether he had left before she realized he was still holding her hand.

“Skye, you're too young to understand this. But Melinda and I have been wanting to have children for many years. To be here with you, even under these circumstances, is better than sitting at home with just the two of us.”

Skye was silent for the rest of the time, registering his words, feeling a slightly warm feeling spread in her heart. They liked her presence, apparently. Well, she liked theirs, too.

Phil was smiling at her when the machine finally stopped and she was released from the brace keeping her head in place. He carried her in his arms and they were reunited with Melinda, who was still incredibly worried.

The doctor gave them all sorts of advice, difficult terms flew past her head, and from her position in Phil's arms, she looked up at him. He was listening intently to the doctor, looked over to Melinda often who had quite a similar expression on her face. Skye felt sleepy and nauseous and just wanted to stay in Phil's arms forever. 

“Can I sleep now, Phil?” she asked him. He smiled down at her, Melinda brushing her hair. 

“Yes, baby girl,” he whispered. “I've got you.”

She closed her eyes and didn't wake up for a while - her dreams were filled with Melinda and Phil, smiling at her, making her feel welcome and safe. 

Not such a bad placement after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your support!  
> (Also, I know she would be much more injured from such an accident but just humor me.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of my 24th birthday, posting this chapter now! It's sort of my birthday tradition, to give YOU a present instead of the other way around... please enjoy!

She awoke feeling groggy and slightly nauseous, and a gentle hand trying to wake her. She opened her eyes. The room was dark, thankfully, and it took her a while to find the owner of the hand in the dark. 

It was Melinda. She was looking at Skye with a slightly blank expression. Skye had come to know that it wasn't always bad news. This was just how Melinda was.

“Hey,” Melinda whispered. Skye blinked and tried to sit up but her head just hurt so badly. “Just stay down. It's better.”

“I'm thirsty,” Skye said. Within seconds, a bottle with a straw in it appeared and she drank happily. They were both quiet for a while and Skye had to admit, she didn't mind the silence. Melinda was stroking the top of Skye's hand and it was so nice. 

“Melinda?”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you and Phil never want kids?”

Oops. Touchy subject. Melinda pulled back her hand and Skye instantly regretted having asked that question. She was scrambling to apologize when Melinda continued.

“It's not that we never wanted to have kids,” Melinda started. It was obvious this was painful, which made it even better when she simply continued for Skye's sake. “We did. We tried, but I wouldn't get pregnant and, well… turns out we can never have kids the normal way. And it hurt so much, I really wanted to be someone’s Mommy, but… it was just not meant for us. Then Phil revealed he had enlisted us for foster care, and it's been… they didn't think us suitable for foster care, not enough time, no other kids to play with, and I have a lot of, uhm, bagage. But then they found you. And they told us you had trouble settling into families and they wouldn't accept you… I wanted to make a difference for you.  _ We _ wanted to be different. Safe. Comfortable. You don't have to be anybody you're not. We'll understand temper tantrums and arguments about your feelings and we won't love you any less for it.”

Skye waited until she was certain Melinda was finished. Then, she realized what it was that Melinda had actually said.

“You love me?”

“Of course, Skye. You've never given us reason not to.”

“I made you go to the hospital.”

“No.  _ I _ made  _ you _ go to the hospital.”

Skye smiled and searched for Melinda's hand, who seemed only too happy to hold Skye's. 

“Melinda?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you, too.”

Melinda smiled and brushed Skye's cheek. 

“I've never heard you say this much,” Skye added as a joke. It made Melinda chuckle and together they giggled softly, until Melinda returned to the task at hand. 

“You have to rest. If you want to sleep, that's okay, but I'll have to wake you up every two to three hours.”

“Melinda?”

“Yes?”

“When will I leave?”

“What?”

“I don't want to leave, actually. I thought I might, at first, but I changed my mind.” She looked at Melinda. “I want to stay with you and Phil.”

Melinda smiled and leaned down to kiss Skye's forehead. 

“You can stay for however long you want. I promise.”

“Good.” Skye smiled and closed her eyes, feeling Melinda's hands brush her cheeks. She fell into a dreamless slumber. Melinda was still there when Skye woke up, reading a book. 

It was the best feeling ever. Waking up to Melinda, knowing she loved Skye and had protected her while she was asleep. 

 

~...~

 

Of course, it wasn't meant to last. About a week after she had sustained her concussion, Phil and Melinda got a phone call, Phil answering, and his face dropped immediately. They had been having dinner, one of the first real meals Skye could stomach, and she instantly felt the need to be close to Melinda. She really didn't like how Phil looked.

Melinda held onto her tightly while Skye stood beside her chair. Phil ended the conversation and took in a deep breath, exhaled wearily, and turned away from them.

“Phil?” Melinda asked. Skye buried her face against Melinda’s shoulder. She didn't want to listen. Didn't want to see more of the pain that was on his face.

“They heard of the concussion. They're certain it was our fault.”

“Okay.” Melinda sounded scared, too. “Now what?”

“They will place her out of our custody until they have finished their investigation.”

“Investigation? Phil…” Melinda sounded sad now, still scared, her hold on Skye tightening. 

Skye didn't dare look. Melinda had promised her she could stay. Skye had really thought that this time, it might come true. She had really hoped Phil and Melinda could be her forever home. 

“Melinda?” Skye said eventually, winning from her fears. “Do I have to leave?”

Skye had hoped Melinda would say ‘no’.  _ No, sweet little girl, you don't have to go. You'll stay with us _ . But instead, Melinda told her the truth. “I don't know.”

“I don't want to leave. You told me I could stay!”

“I know, Skye. We'll meet with the orphanage and discuss it with them. Phil, there has to be a way.”

They talked and all Skye could think about was how she would have to return to the orphanage now, spend nights with annoying, rude kids, not being tucked in or kissed to sleep, spending her days inside the playroom where she had nobody to play with or talk to. Her heart hurt.

Melinda had promised. But Skye knew, this was out of their hands. But… was it really?  _ She _ had fallen, neither Phil nor Melinda had pushed her or anything.

“I could tell them it was an accident,” Skye offered. She barely got any words out past the lump in her throat.

“I doubt they'll believe it,” Phil said. Always the realist. “They already disliked us from the moment we enlisted.”

“But they can't just take her from us, Phil. She would be better off with us, for sure.”

“But if there was actual abuse, she would be better off in the orphanage.”

They talked, quickly turning into arguing, and Skye had never seen them like this. They didn't seem angry, not towards each other anyway, but the fear Skye could feel coming off them fueled most of their discussion. 

Skye cried in Melinda's arms. She didn't want to leave. And she didn't want to see her parents fight.

She swallowed. 

Her parents. They were her parents. She knew they were. This was her forever home. She had to fight for it.

 

~...~

 

The only positive thing of this whole situation was that she could sleep in Phil and Melinda’s bed that night. She had started out in her own bed, sure, but she hadn't been able to sleep, images of herself back in the orphanage haunting her and keeping her awake. She had shuffled over to their bed, never even having entered this room before. (The bed was impossibly high, or maybe she was just small.) Phil had reached out and lifted her onto the bed with two hands underneath her arms. Melinda had tucked her in, and it felt so good, peaceful, warm, safe, to be between her foster parents underneath the cozy sheets and know that they had her back.

She had to leave all of this behind. Her heart hurt with the knowledge.

She was taken away the next morning and Skye didn't let herself get taken easily. She kicked and screamed and showed the people from the system just how ugly she could be. Somehow she hoped they would just leave her behind.

But they didn't. She screamed some more, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her head still hurt, but she wouldn't let that stop her, either. 

“Melinda! Phil! Don't let me go!”

Melinda stood in the doorway, tears down her cheeks (she hadn't cried yet since meeting Skye), Phil had a similar expression.

“We love you Skye! We'll get you back! Just be brave!”

Skye succumbed to her captors, her head hurting so much she could barely use it to think. No, she couldn't fight anymore. But Melinda and Phil would try to get her back. She had to trust that. 

She felt miserable settling back into a bed at the orphanage. It was a different one this time, with an older age group, who laughed at her because she was basically an infant compared to them, and she dove into the empty bed in the corner of the room and pulled the covers up to her ears. Best just ignore them. Phil and Melinda would come and get her soon enough, and she would be living with them again. 

That's the hope she held onto. But days passed, and eventually weeks, and her headache was replaced with heartache. 

She trusted Phil and Melinda. She had to. But she couldn't ignore that it had been a while and they hadn't come for her yet, hadn't even visited her. She loved them now and she would die if she would be torn apart from them. She wanted them to love her, too - she wanted to be the child they had been waiting for for so long, but all she had brought them was disappointment and hospital visits and tears. Children should make their parents’ lives better, not worse.

The kids were starting to bully her again, having left her alone for a while as she still had that ‘just-came-from-a-family’ scent on her. She had told everybody that she would be out of there in no time, that her parents would come and get her.

She had said that in the past, but then with her real parents. She had always had the hope that one day, they might realize that they didn't want to give her away after all and wanted to give her a future. They had never come.

But when the kids had realized that there were no adults coming for her, they had started bullying her. She gave them no attention, spent her days looking out the window hoping for even the tiniest sight of Phil or Melinda. Nothing. 

Sister Ruth came into Skye's dorm one day.

“Poots.”

Skye jumped up and felt hope and love spread in her chest. Finally, Phil and Melinda had come for her!

But it was another family, young, hopeful, and Skye broke. There was no other family she wanted to be with. She only wanted to be with Phil and Melinda. But there was not a lot she could do about this all, she didn't have any strength to fight and her head still hurt sometimes and she just needed a good night's rest in her bed at the Coulson's and have them kiss her goodnight.

“Come, Mary Sue,” the woman said too cheerily. She had reached for Skye's hand, ignoring her protests, and was holding onto it roughly.

“It's Skye.”

But they didn't listen to her. Skye looked at the orphanage, then at the car that would take her away once again.

“I heard what your previous family did to you,” the woman had started as they drove off. “That must have been horrible. Do you still have headaches, Mary Sue?”

“Skye.”

“We can get you some medication if you like. Oh, poor Mary Sue, these people just pushed too hard and they hurt you.”

“They didn't hurt me.”

“Oh, still in denial. That's alright. We'll have four children waiting for you to play with, how does that sound?”

Horrible. It sounded horrible. 

 

~...~

 

The covers on her new bed had weird stains in them and she shared her room with the youngest child of the family, who was roughly one and just started teething. Skye had taken her dirty covers with her and had slept on the couch more than once.

She didn't have any feeling left in her anymore. This family insisted on calling her Mary Sue, their hands weren't soft and gentle, at least not with her, and they kept saying bad things about the Coulsons. 

Skye couldn't take it anymore. She wanted out. If this was her life now, she might as well stop it. 

Phil and Melinda were the only people who had ever loved her, and had told her they did. With them, she didn't feel the need to be nasty anymore, she didn't have to protect herself and get completely exhausted in trying - they would protect her, and nobody had ever done that for her. When she'd been in prison, the only thing that the doctors had really focused on was getting the aggression out of her. Well, Phil and Melinda had managed just that. Wasn't that the goal? 

Skye had been walking from school to her foster house one day, her new family unable to take her in the car with all of their kids taking up the seats, and she was sort of fine with it. She had thought multiple times of just not going to school, not returning to her family or the orphanage and just dwell here, on the streets. It was cold but she could manage and she would be better off anyway.

Then, she realized she had taken a wrong turn, no, multiple wrong turns, and she didn't know anymore how to get to school nor the house. She sighed and dragged her feet and just kept walking. She didn't even care anymore. 

While she was looking at the ground, she bumped into someone so hard she fell to the ground and her ears were ringing. She was about to tell the person off when her heart skipped a beat.

No. This couldn't be true. Was this true?

“Skye.”

It was Melinda. Incredibly worried but there.

She was there! 

Skye jumped and stared at Melinda. She was happy to see her, happy?  _ Elated _ ! But at the same time she was angry that they had let her rot in the orphanage for that long and hadn't even come to visit her once.

But Melinda just reached out and enveloped her in a tight hug and with any other person, she would have broken their wrists, but with Melinda, all of Skye's worries fell off her shoulders. She was here - her mother was here. The only woman she would ever regard as such.

Melinda's soft hands washed Skye's new foster mother's touches away and they stood there for seemingly the rest of the day. Skye couldn't care less.

“Oh, baby,” Melinda whispered. “I'm so sorry.”

Melinda's hands brushed something off Skye's cheeks and it was only then that Skye realized she had been crying. Melinda, too. 

“I won't leave you anymore, Skye,” Melinda whispered. “Will you come home with me?”

“Please.” It came out with a sob and Melinda gathered her in her arms and carried her to the car. Skye couldn't keep her eyes off Melinda as they drove home, Melinda had never been more beautiful than she was now, when Skye had been certain her life was over, when she had hit rock bottom.

“We've been fighting for you, Skye,” Melinda explained, still focusing on the road. “But they wouldn't believe us when we said it was an accident. They didn't think us fit to take care of you. I came to visit you but the nuns just sent me away. And then we learned that you had been sent to another family and I thought we had lost you forever.”

They stood still in front of a traffic light and Melinda looked at Skye.

“I love you so much, Skye. I'm so sorry for everything that happened. Will you ever forgive me?”

“You didn't do anything wrong.”

“I should have held you close and never let you go. That's what mothers do.”

Skye was silent and kept looking at Melinda. Skye was just happy that Melinda was here and that she was taking her home so she could sleep in her good bed underneath the big flower on the wall and wake up to eggs and bacon on Sunday mornings and watch movies with Phil and Melinda. 

“Are you okay, Skye?”

“I am now.”

Melinda smiled at that and they were silent for the rest of the ride home. Melinda held Skye's hand as they went inside and Melinda reached for her phone.

“I'll call Phil. You want something to drink, Skye?”

Skye shook her head and settled on the couch, her bag still beside her, and heard Melinda speak to Phil, enthusiasm in her voice. They had found her. She was home. 

She hadn't realized how tired she was until she was on that couch with Melinda’s voice in the background.

She briefly noticed her shoes gently taken off her feet, being covered by a blanket and a kiss landing on her forehead as she fell asleep, safe, warm, loved and finally -  _ home _ .


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is literally no excuse for me not updating this story other than the fact that I was rewatching the show and I got caught up in everything. Also, Easter. Also, Endgame. But the wait is over! And it's the final wait, because this is the end! Hope you'll enjoy!

She awoke when the doorbell rang but everything was still a little foggy. She heard voices around her and felt a hand brushing her hair. Her head hurt.

“I know you're awake,” Phil whispered. “Just keep your eyes closed. It will help against the pain.”

He lifted the blanket a little higher so it reached her nose and she smiled, his hand still brushing her cheek. It felt nice.

Melinda was arguing with somebody in the hallway and Skye couldn't really hear what it was about. She heard her own name dropping more than once so she guessed it was about her. Phil didn't seem worried, though. He just kept brushing her hair.

“There's no way I'm letting her go again!” Melinda screamed now, the voices coming closer. Phil reached out and held Skye's hand. “You'll have to pry her from my cold, dead hands!”

“Mrs. Coulson, please give it reason. You kidnapped her. You had your chance with her and you messed it up. There's nothing else we can do. She'll have to return to the Evertons.”

Skye felt her blood boil. No way in hell was she going back to that stupid family. That stupid baby wouldn't stop crying and the man was never home and the woman was trying too hard to be nice but only succeeded around her own children. Skye sat up, ignoring Phil's protest. Her surroundings started dancing a little.

“I'm not going back.”

“Ah, Miss Poots. I'm glad you're awake. Let's go.”

“No!” Skye yelled. “No! Phil and Melinda didn't hurt me! I tried to make them breakfast and I climbed onto the counter and I fell! It was my fault! And Phil and Melinda have been super nice since I hurt my head and they would never hurt me, ever! And I want to stay with them forever because they love me! And I love them! And I will hate you forever if you make me leave!”

Pain shot through her head and she saw stars and Phil wrapped an arm around her.

“See, this child is sick and needs proper help!” the unfamiliar woman responded.

“ _This child_ suffered a concussion and hasn't received proper help because you dumped her in an orphanage while she was still recovering,” Melinda argued. “She had only just been eating normally the night before you people took her away. And no doubt she's had a lot of stress because suddenly she was alone again and look at her! It only made things worse! I should sue you for making my daughter even sicker!”

Skye had never seen Melinda like this. She seemed so angry, passionate, her face red in anger and her hands shaking. Phil's hands were shaking, too.

Nobody had ever fought for her like this. They wanted her to stay and were willing to fight a grown-up for it. But before Skye could let the happiness fill her heart, she threw up and Phil was just in time to hold a bucket in place.

“Outrageous! In all my years of experience I've never seen a family as dysfunctional as this one!”

The woman added more but Skye didn't hear anything. Phil was there to hold her hair back and help her clean up when she was finished.

Then suddenly, it was quiet. The only sounds that were heard were Skye's deep breaths and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the living room.

Skye's headache, although still there, lessened significantly, and she instinctively buried her face against Phil and held onto him tightly.

“I'm happy you're back,” he whispered. “I love you.”

“Are you okay?” Melinda asked again. “How's your head?”

Skye just closed her eyes and felt the pain subside even more. Both Phil and Melinda sighed and soon Skye felt Melinda's hand join Phil's.

“Don't let me leave again,” Skye muttered. “I want to stay with you.”

All of them seemed to agree. Phil carried her up to bed and she opened her eyes just as Phil was closing the curtains. It was, thankfully, dark now.

“We might have to return to the hospital, Skye. Will you be okay with that?”

Skye nodded.

“I'm sorry, Skye.”

She shook her head. They had nothing to apologize for.

“I promised to stay with you and I didn't.”

She didn't say anything. The words rang true. But she was nevertheless happy to be here. The best place to be.

 

~...~

 

Melinda had gotten into trouble for taking Skye home with her that afternoon, even though it was the best thing she could have ever done. Apparently, it was filed as kidnapping, and she could face charges, if Skye could believe Phil. Even if Skye thought that her being taken from them in the first place had been the real kidnapping. Phil had faith that Melinda would convince whoever was involved that they were really the best foster family for Skye.

Melinda was gone often and Phil stayed at home now. When she had questioned him on it, confused about how he could spend days by her side, he just shrugged it off.

“I took some personal time off,” he explained.

“Why?”

“Because my daughter is sick. I don't want her to be alone.”

Skye smiled as he pulled her into his arms.

“Phil? I love you, you know.”

“I know.” He smiled and brushed her cheek. “I love you, too.”

“I don't care how many times we need to go to the hospital. As long as I can stay with you.”

“We'll get you better, Skye.”

Her headaches hadn't really subsided like they ought to have done, and it had set off more rigorous testing to find what was wrong with her. The doctor had confirmed her being brisked away from Phil and Melinda had a huge part in it, the stress and lack of proper rest had made things worse. She would probably have to deal with migraines for a long time.

They cuddled for a long time and Skye was fighting sleep a little. This was just too nice to give up, hugging him like his, her father. But a question was burning on her tongue.

“Where's Melinda?”

“She's finalizing the papers.”

“What papers?”

“Adoption papers.”

Skye shot up out of his arms and looked at his face. Had she heard him correctly? Or had her treacherous mind changed the sound of words he had said? Maybe it wasn't even about her. Maybe they were adopting a puppy or something.

“Adoption papers?” she dared ask eventually. “Who are you adopting?”

He chuckled and brushed her cheek, his eyes sparkling with love and glee.

“You of course, you silly Billy.”

“You're adopting me?”

He nodded and ran his hands through her hair.

“It was supposed to be a surprise but I already knew you would find out eventually.”

“You're adopting me?” Skye asked again, unsure of whether he was just playing with her. But he wouldn't joke about something like this, although he loved jokes (especially puns). He wouldn't hurt her with his jokes, or anybody for that matter.

“Yes, baby girl. Melinda and I will be your forever family.”

She fell into his arms and couldn't kiss his cheek enough times. She knew she was crying but she didn't really care.

She was going to be adopted. It was finally over. She didn't have to return to the orphanage anymore with those stupid know-it-all bullies; she didn't have to go to another foster family anymore, never knowing what might be awaiting her there. She would never have to go to prison ever again. She could stay with Phil and Melinda forever and they would be her parents.

She would have parents. No foster parents, no ‘bonus’ parents. Parents. A Mommy and a Daddy.

“You're not pranking me, are you?”

“I would never joke about this.” He kissed her cheek when she briefly stopped her onslaught of kisses. “I love you, Skye,” Phil whispered.

“I can't believe you're adopting me,” Skye breathed.

“You better believe it.” The sound of the front door opening made them pull away from each other. “Melinda doesn't know that you know. We could keep it a secret for a little longer.”

Skye smiled and nodded and stood, carefully, feeling her head throb painfully. She smiled brighter as she heard Melinda place her car keys on the table in the hallway, throw her coat over the back of a chair in the living room.

Secret. It was a secret for Melinda. But as soon as Skye laid eyes on her, she couldn't keep it in.

This would be her mother. Her mother! And Phil her father!

“Mommy!” she exclaimed as she stormed into Melinda's arms and hadn't even noticed what she had said until she saw Melinda crying as she crouched down in front of Skye. Melinda's hands were in the back of Skye's neck, pulling her impossibly close, and they hugged each other tightly, for a long time. Phil crouched down beside them eventually and wrapped his arms around them.

“Phil?” Melinda laughed eventually, her voice heavy with tears. “I thought it would be a surprise.”

“She asked where you were. I couldn't lie to her.”

Melinda seemed to agree and they hugged each other some more.

Crazy. Everything was crazy. Skye was sitting on the floor with her parents and she had never felt happier than she did in that moment.

“Well?” Melinda asked eventually, pulling away slightly to look Skye in the eye. “What do you think?”

“What?”

Melinda smiled. “Us becoming your Mommy and Daddy.”

“Sounds good.” But then she was overcome with emotion and buried her head in the crook of Melinda's neck.

It was more than good. It was perfect.

 

~...~

 

They went to pick up what little she had left at the orphanage and it felt really good. This would be the last time she was here. She wouldn't have to return to these stupid nuns ever again.

She couldn't help but strut. She walked into the orphanage and raised her chin and her heart warmed as she heard her parents walk behind her. She had to restrain herself from saying bad words. Phil especially wasn't really a fan of her swearing.

_Bye bitches! See ya never! Smell you later!_

Phil and Melinda stayed behind in the lobby while she fetched her things. She hugged Stacey tightly, the only real friend she had ever had. She hoped Stacey might find a family like Skye had.

“Are they nice?” Stacey asked as Skye packed her stuff. Skye just smiled at her friend and it was answer enough. Skye had never really smiled while she was living here.

A few days later, she was sat in court in a new, fancy outfit (Phil had insisted on a dress but Melinda had gone for trousers, she understood Skye's reluctance for girly things), between Phil and Melinda who were signing official documents. One of Phil's students had made a really nice badge with ‘my adoption day’ and Skye wore it proudly on her jacket.

“So this is official?” Skye asked her case worker. She had never really liked the man but was happy to see him one final time. (She had dreamed she would kick his leg and tell him ‘I told you so!’, because he had been the one claiming the hardest that she was unfit for any family whatsoever. How about those apples, huh?)

The man pressed his lips together. He seemed to have understood that he had been wrong. “Hundred percent. I hope never to see you again, Mary Sue Poots.”

Skye saw especially Melinda turn her head at this but Skye just put on her brightest smile and nodded. “Likewise.”

“Well then. Congratulations with your new family.”

Driving home, Skye didn't look outside again, just like when they had brought her home the first time. She looked at them, instead. They were happily talking to each other, recounting the day, discussing how rude Skye's caseworker had been, and how happy they were to bring Skye home and have it be official. It even felt good and trusted to step into the house, her home now, even if Phil and Melinda were still discussing the day and Skye trailed behind them. She loved observing them without her being in the picture, loved to see how Phil's hand carefully searched out Melinda's and how he slowly inched closer until he could kiss her lips.

Then, suddenly, Melinda turned towards Skye again.

“We have one final piece of paper to file. But it's not mandatory.”

Skye looked at it while climbing onto a chair surrounding the kitchen table. There were a lot of big words on it that she didn't understand, but it seemed important and official. She looked up at Melinda.

“We've adopted you. That's final. But it doesn't change your name. So… if you want, this paper can change your name.”

“My name?”

Melinda and Phil nodded, holding onto each other while sitting down.

“My last name or my first name?”

“Could be both. You can change both if you want.”

She could be a Coulson? She was their daughter now, but she wasn't a Coulson yet. She couldn't believe she hadn't thought about this before, despite the fact that she had entertained thoughts of having a last name, a family name to belong to. But with Phil and Melinda, that thought had never crossed her mind. Maybe because she hadn't known their last name for that long.

“I don't even have a last name to change,” Skye whispered.

“What about Poots?”

“It was just a name the nuns came up with to tag me. I don't know my parents’ name…” She was placed on the orphanage's doorstep when she had been just a baby and her entire life had been dedicated to finding her birth parents. Until she had found out they had died in a car crash when she had been three. Or at least, she assumed it was them. It was never confirmed. Calvin and Jiaying Johnson...

She had always wondered why they hadn't wanted her. She was trouble, sure, but she couldn't have made that much trouble as a baby, now could she?

But it was starting to make more sense now. Phil and Melinda looked at her expectantly, no smiles on their faces but understanding in their eyes.

It must have been destined. It was destiny. Her birth parents had dumped her so she could be adopted by Phil and Melinda.

“I would like to be Coulson. Can I?”

“Of course.”

And her first name? She had always been Skye, well, maybe officially Mary Sue but that was another stupid name the nuns had given her. She had always went by the name of Skye, she had thought about it when she was probably four already. But the idea that she could register any name as her first name now, and have it be official and nobody would call her something else ever again?

“You can think about it. There's no time pressure.”

She nodded and they continued their evening, going to McDonald's to celebrate her adoption day, and then they went to bed after a nice evening watching a movie. Skye hadn't been able to put the idea of a new first name out of her mind.

New life, new name?

She paused in front of her bedroom door looking at her name in the middle of the flower. She heard Phil walk past her and she felt him kiss the top of her head. He walked into the bathroom across the hall.

“Phil?”

“Yes?”

She paused a while and heard him walk back. She looked at him over her shoulder.

“Daddy?”

He smiled and nodded.

“What is this flower called?”

“Daisy.”

Daisy. Daisy Coulson. It had a nice ring to it.

“I'll come and tuck you in in a few minutes.”

Phil smiled at her as he made his way back into the bathroom.

She settled in underneath her Daisy and heard her Mom and Dad talk to each other on the hallway, before they entered her bedroom and kissed her forehead, Melinda coming back for a second kiss.

A week later, Phil had bought a name plaque and bolted it to the wall next to the front door. Skye had broken down, quite dramatically she might add, when she'd read it, and Phil had laughed at her briefly before picking her up off the ground and into his safe arms.

 _Phil, Melinda and Daisy_ _Coulson_.

Daisy loved life, for the first time ever.

Everything was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this story, your kind words and kudos have been amazing! See you next time! (Also, good luck to everyone this Friday!)


End file.
